PEACOCK Jonnie

Classification
T64 (IPC, 23 Feb 2021)

Type of Impairment
Limb deficiency (standard.co.uk, 14 Sep 2012)

Origin of Impairment
Acquired (standard.co.uk, 14 Sep 2012)

Impairment Details
His right leg was amputated below the knee after he contracted meningitis at age five. "As soon I was walking again, I was running again. I've always lived life as normally as I could. Obviously I had to take my leg off before I got to bed, and my balance is a little bit better than everyone else, but that's about it." (standard.co.uk, 14 Sep 2012)

General
DOCUMENTARY
He featured in the 2020 documentary film 'Rising Phoenix', which highlighted the stories of Paralympic athletes and their journey through the sport. "I was so excited at that first meeting. Their vision for it, what they wanted to do with it. How they were going to do it properly. I just jumped at it. It was incredible. I have always been of the mindset, 'Don't treat me as disabled. I will show you what I can do and we'll have fun with it'." (telegraph.co.uk, 25 Jul 2020)

MUSEUM EXHIBIT
In early 2021 one of his carbon fibre running blades was among the first exhibits to feature in the virtual Museum of Engineering Innovation. The museum, which works using QR codes placed in various locations around the United Kingdom, was set up as part of 'This is Engineering Day' to celebrate engineering accomplishments and inspire future engineers. "Whenever I wear my blade I get such a great response, particularly from children, able-bodied and disabled, who think it's really cool. I'd like them to know that I wouldn't be where I am today and have this super cool prosthetic leg if it wasn't for engineers and amazing feats of engineering, which is why I am supporting This is Engineering Day, to help demonstrate some of the many different ways engineering makes a difference and to inspire the engineers of the future." (fenlandcitizen.co.uk, 11 Nov 2020; ciht.org.uk, 21 Jan 2021)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
In 2017 he appeared on the British version of the competition television show 'Strictly Come Dancing', lasting nine weeks on the programme before being voted off. "Getting the opportunity to be the first disabled person to take part in the show was too big an opportunity to turn down. There was a lot I really wanted to push on that front. I wanted to go out there, show a blade one week and show kids that it can be cool. But I also wanted to put a pair of trousers on and, to people who perhaps don't know me, make them question which person was the disabled one. Question what an amputee could achieve. Could they lift? Could they do a Viennese Waltz? It's a different audience to the one that watches athletics so I wanted to change perceptions with that." (telegraph.co.uk, 01 Dec 2017)

TIME OUT
In late 2017 he revealed he was taking an extended break from the sport. He had planned the time away to refresh himself mentally prior to the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. "I took the decision to have 2018 off years ago after seven years of back-to-back seasons when sport was my be-all and end-all. In elite sport you never really switch off - what you eat, what you drink and when you go to bed matters - so it's been nice to not have to think about those things. Taking that mental break was a big thing. I'm just enjoying it all again." (paralympics.org.uk, 02 Aug 2019; athleticsweekly.com, 15 Jul 2019)